Machine for picking poultry



Nov. 24,. 1931. GRATHWQHL 1,833,571

MACHINE FOR IIICKING POULTRY Filed Dec. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //7venfor:

lq- Grah W0 10 I v 20 cally.

Patented Nov. 24, 1931 PATEnr OFFICE GBATHWOHL, 01' TENINGEN, GERMANY vMACHINE FOR PIC KING .POULTRY A Application filed December 26, 1929,Serial 110. 416,634, and in Germany December 20, 1928.

The present invention relates to improve.- ments in machines for pickingfeathers from the bodies of poultry.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficientmachine for picking feathers from fowl in which the picking device iscarried by a comb-like base plate and is given a compound movement, onemovement effecting the gripping and release of the w feathers and thesecond movement taking place in the plane perpendicular to the baseplate and causing the removal of the feathers.

In the accompanying drawings wherein an approved embodiment of theinvention is 11- lustrated:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the picking machine applied to use.

Figure 2 shows the base-plate 1n section and the picking-movementdiagrammati- Figure 3 dia ammatically shows the baseplate and thepicking-elements in top plan.

I Figure 4 shows the operating-device for the picker in top plan, and

Figure 5 1s a side-view of the operating elements of the picker.

The fowl to be picked is, as shown in Fig. -1, grasped by its neck andhis two legs and stretched by pressing down a pedal, as will benecessary for working with the pickingmachine.

The picking-device I, proper, is provided with a flexible shaft K,driven by a motor'L', and air suction pipe M, through which the ickedfeathers pass, as soon, as they are reeased by the gripper. The fan N ispreferably coupled with the motor L for driving the flexible shaft K.

The picking-device proper consists of a 4 comb-like base-plate G, overwhich the gripper H moves. 7

The base-plate G is provided with comblike prongs, whereby the feathersof the fowl are separated or combed and the skin of the fowl is keptback as the base-plate is moved forward.

During this forward movement of the baseplate G, a number of feathersare grasped by the gripper H between the prongs of the ac base-plate.The gripper H consists of two gripper is opened, the open spaces betweenprongs or points E, F (Fig. 2) lie above the openings of the comb of thebase-plate G so, that the feathers slip from the prongs of thebase-plate into the spaces between the prongs E, and F.

While the parts 0 and .g of the gripper are in closed position they movethrough a curved path A.B, Fig. 2, and during this movement the feathersgripped in the gripper are plucked from the fowl, the skin bem retainedat the underside of the comb o the base plate.

The picking-elements therefore have a double movement, that is to say, arelative movement, to grip and release feathers and then a curvedmovement, vertical to the baseplate within the closed curve A-BOD. It isof particular advantage, that the lifting-motion from A to B is effectedat a very high speed. Opening the grippers p and g is effected at anupper point of the curve, at the point B, previous to readhing thehighest point of the curve, so that a kind of throwing actionfacilitates the removal of the feathers. A double drive is provided formoving the gripper and its elements.

The main part p of the gripper H is mounted to swing around the shaft1". The front part of this gripper-element carries the claws which gripthe feathers, while the other end of the gripper H is connected with a,crank pin 7 fastened to a crank-disc, revolving around theaxle h. Thiscrank-disc is driven by the flexible shaft K, b means of a bevelgear.During rotation o the crank-disc, the point f moves in a circle aroundthe center of the shaft h and the shaft r moves back and forth in guidess. This combination of slidingand crank-motion results in move; ment ofthe members 72 and 9 through the curve-AB-C-D. The shape of the curve apivot 2', engaged disc. The shape of the cam disc determines comb-likebase,

.comb-like base plate, vice movably mounted for oscillation on the thepoint of the curve ABGD, at which I the gripper is opened and closed. Bychanging the shape of the cam disc, the openingand closing-periods ofthe gripper may be varied at will. The spring 0 serves to resilientlymove the lever is in a direction to effect closing movement of themember 9 and thus,

whereof I have aflixed my sig-.

'HERMANN GRATHWOHL.

in case the spaces between the members p and g are jammed with anaccumulation of feathers, possibility of breakage of the parts isobviated.

I claim:

1. In a machine for a two-part gripper device movably mounted foroscillation on the base plate and having feather gripping portions, andmeans rotatable about an axis remote from the axis of movement, of thegripper device to impart a substantially circular movement to thegripping portions of said device, and means to alternately efl'ectgripping and releasing movement of the parts of the gripping deviceduring movement of the latter.

2. In a machine for picking poultry, a

a two-part gripper debase plate and having feather gripping port-ions,andvmeans rotatable about an axis remote from the axis of movement ofthe gripper device to impart a substantially'circular movement to thegripping portions of said device, the arts of the gripping device beingmounted or relative movement to alternately grip and release feathers,and' means for effecting gripping and releasing movements of said parts.

3. In a machine for picking poultry,,a comb-like base plate, a two-partgripper device-movably mounted for oscillation on the base plate, theparts of the gripper device being mounted for relative movement to gripand release feathers, and common drive means for said gripper device andfor the parts thereof rotatable about an axis remote from the axis ofmovement of the gripper device whereby during movement of the. gripperdevice relative to the base plate, the parts of said device are causedto grip and release the feathers.

.4. In a machine for picking poultry, a comb-like base plate, a two-partgripper device mounted for sliding and oscillatory movement on the baseplate and having feather gripping portions, and a rotating memberrotatable about an axis remote from the axis of oscillatory movement ofsaid picking poultry, a

